An Observation About Erstad

[greg775]

1. Podsednik, LF

2. Iguchi, 2B

3. Thome, DH

4. Konerko, 1B

5. Dye, RF

6. Pierzynski, C

7. Crede, 3B

8. Uribe, SS

9. Anderson, CF

 

That has to be our lineup. It's the only option. Play Erstad once in a while instead

of BA in the nine slot. Play Ozuna once in a while for Pods.

I wonder what scouts thought Erstad was still a productive major league hitter.

I realize it's cold out and it's possible he could heat up but he's brutal right now

and the Sox lineup has been totally lifeless.

[SoxFanForever]

That lineup is fine. If we had the pitching efforts of this year with the lineup we had set up last year we would be winning a lot more games.

[hitlesswonder]

I dearly hope that's sarcasm.

 

It's only semi-sarcasm. Anderson probably isn't a major league caliber CF (at least at the plate). If it were my team, I'd give Anderson a shot at starting again. So the bottom line for me is that if the Sox aren't going to start him he needs to be out of the organization and the Sox need to find a CF.

[Balta1701]

It's only semi-sarcasm. Anderson probably isn't a major league caliber CF (at least at the plate). If it were my team, I'd give Anderson a shot at starting again. So the bottom line for me is that if the Sox aren't going to start him he needs to be out of the organization and the Sox need to find a CF.

Brian Anderson was not a major league caliber CF at the plate last year for 4 out of the 6th months. But there's some ray of hope...Brian Anderson is still a couple years younger than me. Brian Anderson has plenty of room to learn. Brian Anderson supposedly spent the winter working out some of the kinks in his swing with Paul Konerko over the offseason.

 

Now, look, Brian Anderson may never hit .350 with 30 home runs. Brian Anderson may not even have a good season with the bat. But IMO the White Sox are not going to win another championship giving Darrin Erstad 650 at bats this season. Brian Anderson at least has the ability to be a lot better. Darrin Erstad is not going to be better. This is who he is, an at-best inconsistent hitter. Brian Anderson was an at-best inconsistent hitter last year, who has the ability to be a lot better, and plays stellar defense. At least make it a damn platoon and give the kid a reasonable chance.

[The Ginger Kid]

I hope Ozzie sees after this game, there needs to be a change. Have it go...

 

1. Podsednik, LF

2. Iguchi, 2B

3. Thome, DH

4. Konerko, 1B

5. Dye, RF

6. Pierzynski, C

7. Crede, 3B

8. Uribe, SS

9. Anderson, CF

 

Just give it a try for a couple of days... thats all I ask!

 

Yeah, that worked great last year. 3rd place. woo.

[Heads22]

Yeah, that worked great last year. 3rd place. woo.

 

None of those nine pitched for us last year.

[Balta1701]

Yeah, that worked great last year. 3rd place. woo.

We only saw that lineup in what, 30% of the games? Hell, Mackowiak was in CF for half the season.

[hitlesswonder]

Brian Anderson was not a major league caliber CF at the plate last year for 4 out of the 6th months. But there's some ray of hope...

Well, I agree...I'm not that optimistic about Anderson but I do think Anderson is actually more likely to have a some semblance of an offensive impact than Erstad. It's just that it's clear to me that it won't be with the Sox while Guillen is managing. You can look at a guy like Cuddyer in MN as an example of someone who put it together around age 26 or 27 after some fairly mediocre seasons. I'm sure someone will point out that Cuddyer was a much better prospect, but whatever...the point is that I think relegating Anderson to the scrap heap is silly after one bad season.

 

But, I can honestly understand that a team built to contend might not want to take a chance on Anderson again. So it would be best for everyone if he was traded, and somehow the Sox brought in a CF that they were willing to start over Erstad.

[Heads22]

Well, I agree...I'm not that optimistic about Anderson but I do think Anderson is actually more likely to have a some semblance of an offensive impact than Erstad. It's just that it's clear to me that it won't be with the Sox while Guillen is managing. You can look at a guy like Cuddyer in MN as an example of someone who put it together around age 26 or 27 after some fairly mediocre seasons. I'm sure someone will point out that Cuddyer was a much better prospect, but whatever...the point is that I think relegating Anderson to the scrap heap is silly after one bad season.

 

But, I can honestly understand that a team built to contend might not want to take a chance on Anderson again. So it would be best for everyone if he was traded, and somehow the Sox brought in a CF that they were willing to start over Erstad.

 

 

BA was the #37 prospect in all of baseball in 05. I just think that Sox prospects take a little longer to work out the kinks, or something.

[The Ginger Kid]

We only saw that lineup in what, 30% of the games? Hell, Mackowiak was in CF for half the season.

 

Sure looked like BA in CF for the first 80-90 games that I saw. But my reception is bad.

[hitlesswonder]

Sure looked like BA in CF for the first 80-90 games that I saw. But my reception is bad.

 

Mack had 166 ABs as a CF while Anderson had 362 ABs as a CF in 2006.

[Balta1701]

Sure looked like BA in CF for the first 80-90 games that I saw. But my reception is bad.

So, games played where Mackowiak has more than 3 plate appearances from last year, followed by Wins and Losses. By month.

 

Games W L

Apr 9 4 5

May 15 10 5

June 11 7 4

July 8 3 5

Aug 9 4 5

Sept 5 3 2

 

Mack was pretty useful in May and June when he was on fire and Anderson was pretty bad. But he was getting games right from the start of the season. That adds up to 57 games. For the first half of our season, Mack and Anderson essentially split time, and Mack was the starting CF for more than a month. There are an awful lot of other games where he got 2 at bats which I didn't count.

[WhiteSoxfan1986]

BA was the #37 prospect in all of baseball in 05. I just think that Sox prospects take a little longer to work out the kinks, or something.

 

More of the fact that prospects can't be expected to be all-stars their rookie year, and they will struggle. Alex Gordon will probably be a much better player when its all said and done and he's hitting .091 right now.

[witesoxfan]

That lineup is fine. If we had the pitching efforts of this year with the lineup we had set up last year we would be winning a lot more games.

 

The White Sox offense was one of the worst in the year majors in the second half last year. Erstad only makes it worse.

 

It's only semi-sarcasm. Anderson probably isn't a major league caliber CF (at least at the plate). If it were my team, I'd give Anderson a shot at starting again. So the bottom line for me is that if the Sox aren't going to start him he needs to be out of the organization and the Sox need to find a CF.

 

No, he needs to be in AAA starting if he's not getting 300-400 ABs worth in the majors.

[beck72]

the point is that I think relegating Anderson to the scrap heap is silly after one bad season.

 

But, I can honestly understand that a team built to contend might not want to take a chance on Anderson again. So it would be best for everyone if he was traded, and somehow the Sox brought in a CF that they were willing to start over Erstad.

 

I don't think Anderson is being relegated to the scrap heap. He's just not playing in April. Who's to say he won't have an impact in May, June or July? With Erstad's and Pods injury history, BA will likely see extended playing time this yr. As for trading BA, for what? Who will play CF? BA will be kept and heard from this yr. We are only ten games into the season.

 

IIRC, Ozzie is the one who would like Brian to play everyday in AAA, to keep developing according to his public comments [and I'd agree with him, if the sox had a decent option as a 4th OFer]. KW and the coaches are the ones who seem to want BA to be the 4th OFer. Doesn't sound like they are ready to wash their hands of him.

[mmmmmbeeer]

Ya know, if Oz wants Erstad out there instead of Brian, fine, do what you want to do; you're the manager. I disagree with that decision, but it's his call. With that said, if you're going to play him then use him right. Using Erstad in the 2 hole while Iguchi sits in the lower 3rd is just ridiculously dumb.

 

I haven't gotten to watch every game this season but the games I have watched Iguchi shows a COMPLETELY different approach at the plate when someone is on in front of him. I thought I was just producing that impression on a mental level to validate my belief he should be in the 2 hole....then I looked at this stats so far this year:

 

Bases empty 14ab .143/.250/.464 (career .269/.347/.750)

Runners on 10ab .300/.385/.985 (career .290/.346/.810)

 

Now granted this is a ridiculously small sample size, but this speaks volumes to me. This stat is especially huge with the way that the 9 and 1 hitters have been getting on base. Erstad is just killing the good starts that those 2 are off to.

 

But Oz is right, let's keep Gooch hitting behind Dye, Crede, and AJ, the three hitters off to the worst starts not named Erstad.